Waiting Forever
by Omegathyst
Summary: Half Moon had meant to wait forever for Jayfeather, generations and generations through. And now after all this time, he finally joins her.


Half Moon stood amongst the fallen in the early stages of StarClan, where only the cats from various battles before the formation of the Clans.

She watched Gray Wing play with the kits, his eyes betraying that he greatly missed his own.

 _I never had kits, though I loved Jay's Wing enough to think of having many kits with him._

It had already felt like so _many_ moons since she was released from the grips of life and passed on to StarClan. It seemed like her bones would crumble by the time her death was near.

But it felt like relief, no longer having to lead a group of cats suffering the weight of the early settlers, the elderly cats with her, and the loss of Jay's Wing.

She had hoped he joined the ranks of StarClan before her but no such luck.

 _He was about the same age as me, it couldn't_ _take_ _much longer for him to join me._

Little did she know how long she had to wait.

* * *

Half Moon sprawled across the StarClan ground and gave a long huff.

 _Why_ _isn't_ _he here?!_

It was long enough that he couldn't possibly be alive still, even Moth Flight had already reunited happily with Micah, only now having to wait before their kits join them.

 _Families are getting reunited and_ _they_ _couldn't_ _get more happy, is it possible that Jay's Wing_ _didn't_ _end up in StarClan?_

Her eyes widened at the thought, that couldn't be possible. Jay's Wing was _perfect._

So she slumped over very confused on what could have happened to the tom she loved very much.

* * *

"Hello Half Moon, wanna play moss ball with us?"

 _More generations pass as more cats join here._

Half Moon looked up at a sleek black and white she-cat bouncing eagerly.

"Skunkpaw, you woke me up from my nap." I muttered.

"Sorry!" Skunkpaw gasped. "You just seem so sad and we can hardly see you nowadays."

Half Moon's ears flattened, she looked and saw her body was almost translucent.

 _I'm_ _disappearing_ _from_ _memory? But the Tribe has to remember me!_

"Not now Skunkpaw." Half Moon growled. "Let me think."

The she-cat ran off and Half Moon sprawled out, her eyes dull.

 _Many things have happened to the Clans, but no_ _Jay's_ _Wing._

Half Moon looked down and saw a brown and white she-cat and an orange she-cat walking in the snow.

"That's Squirrelflight and Leafpool." Bluestar explained. "Leafpool is a medicine cat expecting kits."

Half Moon raised her nose in disgust, she _knew_ what that was from Moth Flight's stories, from watching her struggle with her kits. It was against _the code._

"Pathetic." A cat growled.

"There's the prophecy about Firestar's kin though." Bluestar replied sharply. "Most of you remember."

A lot of cats nodded and Half Moon rolled her eyes.

"Look!" Spottedleaf gasped. "She's kitting!"

Hundreds of StarClan cats tumbled over to the view of Leafpool. Half Moon gave a growl of annoyance and walked to the back.

 _Stupid cats!_ _It's_ _a pathetic she-cat giving birth, what about it? But then again,_ _could_ _be part of the prophecy..._

"Jaykit!"

Half Moon froze, her fur ruffled and her head quickly turned.

 _Jay's_ _Wing?!_

Half Moon broke into a dead sprint and bowled into several cats to get them out of the way.

She looked at the view and saw the small grey kit mewing loudly.

 _Jay's_ _Wing!_

Half Moon purred loudly, after so many seasons, she no longer had to worry about his whereabouts.

"Gray Wing!" Half Moon called. "Look!"

The tom ran over with Slate at his side.

"The Jay's Wing you've told us about?" Gray Wing asked her. "He does look like 'em."

"He _is_ him!" Half Moon gasped. "Cinderpelt joined her soul with Cinderkit's. Why couldn't Jay's Wing join his with this kit?"

 _"This kit will be Jaykit."_

"See?!" Half Moon growled. "It's _him!"_

Gray Wing shrugged and him and Slate walked away pelts close.

 _So what if none of them_ _believe_ _me! My waiting_ _is_ _almost_ _over_ _and_ _I_ _know_ _it!_

* * *

Half Moon was proud and happy, she and her forces had conquered the Dark Forest on behalf of the Three.

 _But in my opinion, on Jay's Wing's behalf. Because he deserves all the protection StarClan_ _gives him._

She felt almost complete, so relieved that Jay's Wing hadn't gone to another spirit-land, that he had another time to return to.

 _I_ _would_ _fight_ _that battle time and time again. Anything for_ _Jay's_ _Wing safety, and_ _it'll_ _take_ _only seasons more before he joins me._

Half Moon let out a loud purr and rested, she'd rather rest her time away in anticipation. Maybe then she'd hunt with her Clanmates.

 **Many seasons later**

Jayfeather watched as the kits were rampant, many cats came and went in the time he was medicine cat. It had been many seasons since he made Alderbranch medicine cat, but he knew he should take an apprentice.

 _They're all waiting out for me to pass on,_ _I_ _can sense it. They wish_ _I'd_ _become an_ _elder_ _but_ _I_ _am dedicated to my work till_ _I_ _die._

"Hey Jayfeather." Alderbranch meowed. "I brought some more catmint."

"Thanks." Jayfeather muttered. "Crowstar and his ShadowClan cats haven't given you any trouble have they?"

"Nope." Alderbranch purred.

"Jayfeather!"

Jayfeather purred as well when he saw Sorrelstripe's four kits leap into the medicine cat's den and hop all over.

"Hello little ones." Jayfeather meowed, he almost flinched when he saw a silhouette of a white spirit-cat flash.

"Jayfeather! You wouldn't believe what Ravenkit found!" One of the kits squeaked.

"I think you'll have to tell him later." Alderbranch panicked. "Go back to your mother."

"Do we _have_ to?" Another kit wailed.

" _Yes!"_ Alderbranch hissed.

The kits tumbled out of the den in a flash leaving the two medicine cats alone.

"You're dying." Alderbranch whispered.

 _"Am not!"_ Jayfeather growled. "I've got moons left before I join Lionblaze up there!"

Suddenly the silhouette appeared again only more clear.

 _"Half Moon?"_ Jayfeather collapsed and started shaking.

"Oh no..." Jayfeather hissed. "I guess Mintkit will become your apprentice after all."

"Jayfeather..." Alderbranch whispered.

Jayfeather held Alderbranch's paw before he slumped over and died.

* * *

"Jayfeather?"

The tom woke and saw his spirit was mouse-lengths away from his body. He looked and saw it was Half Moon.

" _Half Moon."_ Jayfeather purred.

"I've been waiting so long for you." Half Moon meowed. "And now it's time to bring you to StarClan."

Jayfeather nodded and the two headed up there with their tails entwined.


End file.
